Today's topics include Microsoft's release of its Power BI Embedded cloud suite, IBM's channel partnership with Microsoft to expand enterprise sales of Surface tablets, Oculus' announcement that it will be taking new orders for the Rift VR headsets and AT&T's unveiling of its Internet of Things starter kit for developers.

Microsoft has announced general availability of Power BI Embedded, an Azure cloud services suite that enables developers to incorporate Power BI's data visualization and reporting capabilities into their own software-as-a-service applications.

Since unveiling Power BI Embedded during the company's Build developer conference this past spring, Microsoft has switched on the service in nine Azure regions, including parts of the United States, Southeast Asia, Australia and Brazil.

In the months ahead, Microsoft plans to release enhancements and new capabilities that will help developers better integrate Power BI Embedded into their applications.

Last year, Microsoft caused a stir after the company announced that both Dell and HP would sell its Surface Pro Windows tablets to their corporate customers. On July 12, Microsoft announced it has recruited another major partner to help sell its hardware to more enterprises.

IBM has joined the Surface Enterprise Initiative, revealed Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, during the company's Worldwide Partner Conference, currently taking place in Toronto.

"IBM will draw on their data and analytics expertise to create new industry-specific solutions for the financial services and consumer packaged goods sectors that take advantage of the unique capabilities of Surface devices," stated Mehdi in a statement.

Virtual reality device maker Oculus is now shipping its Oculus Rift headsets in two to four days for new orders at its Website after filling all of the preorders it had for the devices.

The company announced the completion of the preorder shipments in a July 12 post on The Oculus Blog, and apologized to customers for the delivery delays.

The company is also now expanding shipments of the $599 Rift devices to retail partners online and in stores. It's also adding Rift demonstration displays in retail stores across the United States, according to Oculus.

AT&T is giving developers connectivity, hardware and application tools they need to accelerate the production of new Internet of things devices.

The carrier is rolling out its all-in-one IoT Starter Kit, a collection of technologies that officials said will make it easier for developers to more quickly spin out IoT offerings. AT&T worked with Cisco Systems and Avnet to create the starter kit.

Included in the Starter Kit are an AT&T global SIM card that works in more than 200 countries and territories, a 4G LTE modem that runs on the carrier's network, an expandable development board that works with a range of plug-in sensors, an API to monitor the network connection and data transfer, REST APIs as well as cloud storage to host, manage and share data across multiple groups.